DC Pulse


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    BigLaw Begins To Fall In Line With Cravath Bonuses

    Fried Frank Harris Shriver & Jacobson, McDermott Will & Schulte LLP and Dechert LLP are among the law firms following the lead of Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP on year-end associate bonuses this week, with at least five large firms matching the market leader within a day of Cravath's Tuesday announcement.

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    Compensation Report: A Deep Dive Into GC Pay

    Law360 Pulse went beyond the numbers to examine how industry, law firm experience and education shape the pay of top-earning S&P 500 general counsel. Here's what we found.

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    These Are The Legal Chiefs Who Command Top Dollar

    While the pay packages for most legal leaders in the corporate space remains strong — especially because of hefty stock awards and bonuses — there are large gaps in compensation even among the top 10 earners in the U.S.

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    Everything You Need To Know About GC Pay

    Find out which S&P 500 general counsel earns the most and how pay differs across industries. Explore every detail in our interactive compensation graphic.

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    Pierce Atwood Energy Pro Joins Barnes & Thornburg In DC

    Marking his third career move in the last five years, a Pierce Atwood LLP partner has made the jump to Barnes & Thornburg LLP's office in Washington, D.C., to continue his work on transactional and regulatory matters related to new energy technologies.

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    Law Firms Struggle To Keep Partners Amid Lateral Boom

    The number of lateral moves for associates, counsel and partners seeking greener pastures is outpacing last year, which is both good and bad news for legal employers, according to law firm leaders and search firms.

  • Cravath Unveils Associate Bonuses, Multiple Firms Follow

    Multiple firms swiftly fell in line Tuesday evening just hours after Cravath Swaine & Moore LLP announced associate bonuses in line with those offered last year, continuing a long tradition of BigLaw firms following Cravath's lead on compensation.

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    After Merger, Troutman Pepper Locke Elects 20 New Partners

    In its first partner class since the merger of Troutman Pepper Hamilton Sanders LLP and Locke Lord LLP at the beginning of the year, the newly combined Troutman Pepper Locke announced Tuesday it would be elevating 20 attorneys to the firm's partnership in January.

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    Law Firms Being Tested With Associate Performance Reviews

    Eighty-three percent of U.S. and Canadian associates receive a yearly annual review, but there is room for improvement in how law firms evaluate their attorneys' performance, according to a new study.

  • Judge Details Reasons For Goldstein's Pretrial Motion Losses

    A Maryland federal judge explained in further detail Tuesday her decision against SCOTUSblog co-founder Tom Goldstein on several motions seeking to trim his tax evasion case as it heads to trial next year.

  • NY AG James Blasts 'Outrageous Conduct' Behind Indictment

    New York Attorney General Letitia A. James has told a Virginia federal court to dismiss the U.S. government's indictment of her, calling it "patently unconstitutional" and "outrageous conduct."

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    Clifford Chance Adds Day Pitney Energy Pro In DC

    Clifford Chance LLP has grown its energy regulatory and markets practice in the nation's capital with the addition of a veteran attorney from Day Pitney LLP.

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    Non-Law Firm Lobby Shops Overtake BigLaw In Trump Era

    Law firms have been K Street's top earners in recent years, but some non-law firm lobbying shops, including Trump-connected Ballard Partners, have surpassed major legal industry players in 2025 as clients seek access to the White House in a year of upheaval.

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    Ex-Dechert Moscow Office MP Joins BCLP's DC Office

    Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner LLP has hired the one-time managing partner of Dechert LLP's Moscow office, whose practice focuses on advising corporations, banks, investment funds and other clients on mergers and acquisitions matters, cross-border transactions and matters related to emerging markets, the firm announced Tuesday.

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    Republican Senators Seek Judge Boasberg's Suspension

    Six Republican senators, three of whom sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, are asking that Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Boasberg of the District of Columbia be administratively suspended while Congress considers his impeachment.

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    Billable Hours Still Drive Atty Bonuses. Is Change Coming?

    The primary factor determining whether a law firm associate receives a year-end bonus is not individual performance, firm performance, or firm citizenship. Instead, it is the number of billable hours they've logged, according to the results of a new survey from Law360 Pulse.

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    Client Book Remains Key To Nonequity Partner Pay

    The nonequity partner tier is expanding across law firms, but compensation within this group varies widely, ranging from associate-level pay to earnings on par with equity partners. A deciding factor in where they fall on the scale, experts say, is often who brings in the clients.

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    A Deep Dive Into Law360 Pulse's Survey Of Law Firm Pay

    Most lawyers say they’re satisfied with their compensation— but at firms that are open about pay, satisfaction nearly doubles. Explore our latest analysis of law firm compensation practices and what drives top talent.

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    Sheppard Mullin Antitrust Leader Returns To King & Spalding

    The former leader of Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP's healthcare antitrust team is returning to King & Spalding LLP, a firm where he worked for more than a decade, helping clients through deal reviews by the Federal Trade Commission, an agency where he once worked as an attorney.

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    Perkins Coie's Trump Fight Doesn't Scare Off UK Suitor

    Perkins Coie LLP's ongoing fight with the Trump administration did not deter a proposed combination with British law firm Ashurst, signaling that the legal community is not worried about fallout from the president's suspension of the firm's security clearances.

  • Ex-Finnegan Associate Gets Wage Theft Suit Revived In DC

    The D.C. Court of Appeals revived a former Finnegan Henderson Farabow Garrett & Dunner LLP associate's lawsuit alleging the firm reneged on its promises to pay tuition reimbursement and productivity bonuses, saying the trial court should have conducted "a fuller analysis" before shutting the book on the case.

  • Feds Back IRS Agent Testimony In Goldstein Tax Case

    An Internal Revenue Service agent must be allowed to testify in Tom Goldstein's tax evasion case, the U.S. government said, arguing that the agent's testimony is relevant to proving willfulness in the tax crimes the U.S. Supreme Court attorney and SCOTUSblog publisher was charged with.

  • ABA Decries Lawmaker Calls For Impeachments Of Judges

    The American Bar Association said on Monday it's "alarmed" by lawmakers' interest in impeaching judges just because they don't like their rulings.

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    DC-Based Gupta Wessler Hires Former Asst. Solicitor General

    A former assistant U.S. solicitor general who argued more than a dozen cases before the U.S. Supreme Court is joining Gupta Wessler LLC, a plaintiffs-side boutique firm that specializes in public service litigation.

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    Law Firm Growth Driven Mostly By Rate Increases In 2025

    Increasing demand and especially rising billing rates have made for a strong first nine months of 2025 for the legal industry, according to a report released Monday by Wells Fargo's Legal Specialty Group, with the top 50 firms by revenue seeing the best performance.

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Expert Analysis

  • Rethinking 'No Comment' For Clients Facing Public Crises Author Photo

    “No comment” is no longer a cost-free or even a viable public communications strategy for companies in crisis, and counsel must tailor their guidance based on a variety of competing factors to help clients emerge successfully, says Robert Bowers at Moore & Van Allen.

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    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.

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