DC Pulse


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    ITC Atty's 1st Kids' Book Imagines A Santa-Less Christmas

    Michelle Klancnik, assistant general counsel at the U.S. International Trade Commission, spends her days looking into when imports should be banned for violating intellectual property rights, but outside work, she​'s focused on one big question: What would happen if Santa took a year off?

  • 3 Key Trends For The Legal Industry In 2025

    Executive orders, updated office attendance policies and private equity interests were three top issues that shaped the industry this year.

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    Alston & Bird Doles Out Associate Bonuses

    Alston & Bird LLP has reportedly unveiled its year-end associate bonus tiers, matching the market scale set by Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP this fall.

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    Office Snapshot: Miles & Stockbridge's New DC-Area Home

    Miles & Stockbridge PC has moved one of its Washington-area offices to the Pike & Rose neighborhood — a mixed-use development featuring restaurants, retail, business and residential spaces — in North Bethesda, Maryland.

  • Justices Deny Trump's Bid To Send Nat'l Guard To Chicago

    The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that the Trump administration cannot deploy National Guard troops into Chicago to aid federal immigration enforcement, saying President Donald Trump didn't show he was permitted to federalize the National Guard under a statute he had relied on.

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    How 2025 Became The Year Of The Boutique

    When news broke this month that former special counsel Jack Smith planned to open a new boutique law firm, it underscored a bigger trend: All year long, elite small firms have proliferated as many federal lawyers left government service and some disaffected attorneys left BigLaw jobs.

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    Baker Botts Hires 2 New DC Partners For Enviro, IP Team

    Baker Botts LLP has hired two new partners in its intellectual property and environmental safety and incident response groups, who will both be based in the firm's Washington, D.C., office, Baker Botts said in recent announcements.

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    McGlinchey Stafford Leaders Tout Equity-Driven Firm Culture

    While the traditional idea of diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace is often appearance-based, a group of McGlinchey Stafford PLLC leaders told Law360 Pulse that its approach to DEI goes further, embedding itself in the firm's cultural and operational ethos. 

  • Schumer Pushes Senate To Sue Over Epstein File Release

    Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., introduced a resolution on Monday that would direct the Senate to take legal action to force the Trump administration to fully comply with the law to release the files of the late financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

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    4 Legal Ethics Matters That Rocked 2025

    This year, judges across the country grappled with attorneys' use and misuse of generative artificial intelligence, and prominent federal prosecutor battles dominated headlines in some of the top legal ethics matters of 2025.

  • Haynes Boone, Seward & Kissel Announce Year-End Bonuses

    Haynes Boone is handing its associates year-end and special bonuses in line with those offered by a significant portion of BigLaw this year, largely adhering to a bonus scale first put forward by Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP in November, a firm spokesperson confirmed Monday.

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    Legal Departments Pushing Back Against Partner Rate Hikes

    Billing rates from law firms varied widely in the first half of 2025, and corporate legal departments will need to anticipate tiered and regional shifts in fee dynamics to keep costs under control next year, according to a report released Monday by Wolters Kluwer's ELM Solutions.

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    DOJ Challenges ABA's Standing In Law Firm Intimidation Suit

    The Trump administration is not waging an intimidation campaign against U.S. law firms, the government said Friday, calling an American Bar Association lawsuit challenging its alleged "law firm intimidation policy" as total speculation that must be dismissed due to lack of standing.

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    Lawyers Hit Billable Hour Goals, But At What Cost?

    As lawyers across the U.S. tally their hours and take stock of how the past year unfolded, a recent Law360 Pulse survey suggests many will meet their billable goals, but often at the expense of their mental health and work-life balance.

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    Lawyers Don't Expect AI To Lower Billing Targets

    Generative AI is raising questions about how time-based billing adapts when tasks become faster to complete, but most attorneys recently surveyed by Law360 Pulse are skeptical that AI will shift expectations anytime soon.

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    Winston Taylor Will Eye Growth Beyond $1.75B Merger

    The architects of the deal to create a major new transatlantic player called Winston Taylor say that "there's no finishing point" to their plans for expansion as they signal an openness to more deals and even external investment.

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    Feds To Appeal Dismissal Of Comey, James Indictments

    The U.S. Department of Justice indicated Friday that it will appeal the dismissals of headline-grabbing indictments of former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, after a federal judge ruled the controversial prosecutor handling both cases was not properly appointed.

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    DC Firm Hiring From Government Skyrocketed In 2025

    As federal lawyers left in droves this year amid President Donald Trump's return to the White House, the number of attorneys who moved from government jobs to BigLaw firms in Washington, D.C., doubled in 2025 compared to the last post-presidential election year.

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    Hogan Lovells, Cadwalader's Divergent Paths Led To Deal

    The blockbuster combination between Hogan Lovells and Cadwalader Wickersham & Taft LLP announced this past week involves two law firms that have charted very different paths in recent years. Here, a look at what events led up to the firms joining together at the deal table.

  • Law360 Pulse Spotlight On Mid-Law Work

    Foley Hoag's handling of a suit challenging the proposed White House ballroom and Vedder Price's work on a $2 billion transaction with Goldman Sachs lead this edition of Law360 Pulse's Spotlight On Mid-Law Work, recapping the top matters for Mid-Law firms from Dec. 4 to 19.

  • More Pardon Seekers Going 'Straight To The White House'

    A nonprofit's unusual plan to make a mass pardon request directly to the Trump administration highlights burgeoning optimism among white collar defendants about their chances of securing relief, and a recognition that the clearest path to clemency no longer runs through the traditional channels.

  • Federal Courts Not Subject To FOIA, DC Judge Rules

    The conservative litigation group America First Legal Foundation cannot demand documents from the federal Judicial Conference of the U.S. and the Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts under the Freedom of Information Act because they are not executive agencies, a D.C. federal judge ruled Thursday.

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    Sidley Adds Williams & Connolly Mass Torts Trial Atty In DC

    A trial attorney who spent more than two decades at Williams & Connolly LLP has moved to Sidley Austin LLP to help lead its product liability and mass torts practice.

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    Hogan Lovells Seeks Repeat Merger Success With Cadwalader

    The chief executive tapped to lead what will be known as Hogan Lovells Cadwalader said Friday that the deal that will create the world's fifth‑largest law firm by revenue is set to succeed, promising to repeat the success of the merger that originally founded Hogan Lovells.

  • Beltway Moves: New Jack Smith Firm, Willkie, Holland & Hart

    News that former special counsel Jack Smith will launch a law firm with two of his former top deputies and a Washington, D.C., Willkie Farr & Gallagher LLP partner was among the major developments in the D.C. legal world as the year comes to an end.

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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.

  • Opinion

    Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code Author Photo

    As public confidence in the U.S. Supreme Court dips to historic lows following reports raising conflict of interest concerns, Congress must exercise its constitutional power to enact a mandatory and enforceable code of ethics for the high court, says Muhammad Faridi, president of the New York City Bar Association.

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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.

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