Law.com - The American Lawyer

Firm Leaders 'Determined' to Train Attorneys to Avoid Using AI-Produced Mistakes

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:45:53 EST

]]>“Our clients are very eager that [AI] be used and leveraged, and they and we are obviously interested in it being used responsibly, said Robert Hays of King & Spalding.

Legaltech Connect: How Baker & Hostetler, Eversheds Prepare Staff for AI Adoption

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 17:32:32 EST

]]>Speakers from Baker & Hostetler, Eversheds Sutherland and other law firms discussed how they guide staff in various roles, from partners to researchers, through gen AI adoption.

Boies Schiller Sees Rapid Head Count Growth, Despite 31% Revenue Decline Against 'Aberrational' 2024

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:42:08 EST

]]>The litigation shop increased head count by 20% in 2025, but the timing of major contingency recoveries in fiscal 2024 put downward pressure on year-over-year financial performance.

Infrastructure, Finance Practices Boost Bracewell to Record Year

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:13:26 EST

]]>Revenue grew by 3.6% even as head count growth was flat, due to a "very robust" volume of M&A, finance and project development work across the entire energy spectrum, managing partner Greg Bopp said.

Deal Watch: Latham, S&C, Davis Polk, White & Case Work Megadeals; PE Investment in Sports Expands

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 15:09:29 EST

]]>Two megadeals highlighted the week, while PE looks to expand its footprint in the booming sports industry.

The End of the Functional Marketing Team: Evolve or Fall Behind

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 12:59:59 EST

]]>This is the architecture of the modern growth function, Wendy Whitney Taylor writes, and the firms that adopt it will define the next decade.

Kirkland & Ellis to Hire Senior Paul Weiss Partner in London

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 11:42:11 EST

]]>Paul Weiss' head of European M&A is joining the world's largest law firm in the U.K., marking the first major loss for Paul Weiss in recent years and a signal of intent for Kirkland.

Winston Taylor Merger Date in Doubt as European Split Delayed

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:47:50 EST

]]>The planned May 1 separation of Taylor Wessing's U.K. arm from some of its key continental European offices has been pushed to June as the disentanglement proves more time-consuming than anticipated.

Jenner, Greenberg Traurig, and Simpson Among Latest to Add Laterals in DC

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Greenberg Traurig brought on a six-person team from Holland & Knight to its Washington, D.C., office to expand the firm's lobbying capabilities.

As Seyfarth Approaches $1B in Revenue, PEP Up by 15%

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>“We're actually really proud of the 6.3% revenue growth, because if you adjusted for the exit of that immigration team that was doing the high-volume, lower-margin work, our gross would've been about 10.2%," noted Seyfarth's leader.

These Am Law 100 Law Firms Have Stacked Revenue the Most Since 2000

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 05:44:37 EST

]]>A Law.com analysis reveals that 20 firms have achieved compound annual growth rates in revenue of greater than 8% since fiscal 2000. Meanwhile, growth multiples range from 6.88x to 22.46x.

Gibson Dunn Hires 7-Lawyer Team from Clifford Chance to Launch Funds Practice in Paris

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 19:00:59 EST

]]>The arrival of the team, which includes four partners, follows Gibson Dunn's official launch of a Madrid office on Monday.

As AI Blunders Pile Up, Law Firms Address Ethics Implications of New Technology

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:48:04 EST

]]>“The rules haven't really changed, but we're just having trouble following them when the output of some AI is so seductively good, said Adams & Reese legal ethics expert Lucian Pera. “And it's hard. It's hard to convince people to do it.

Vinson & Elkins Adds 4 Corporate Partners From Wilmer in Denver, DC

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:36:38 EST

]]>The four Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr partners strengthen Vinson & Elkins' corporate offering, particularly in the Rocky Mountain Region.

HSF Kramer Partner Jumps to Gibson Dunn

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:23:41 EST

]]>The employment litigator made partner at Kramer Levin in 2017.

Lawyers Return to Middle East Offices as US Iran Ceasefire Holds Amid Hiring Uncertainty

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 15:21:25 EST

]]>After a wave of temporary relocation that saw up to 70% of staff leave the region, lawyers at international firms are returning to the Middle East as the ceasefire holds. However, legal recruitment patterns suggest continued uncertainty.

Sullivan & Cromwell Recruits SDNY Litigator

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:48:01 EST

]]>The hire comes within days of S&C seeing the exit of four appellate partners for Gibson Dunn. S&C is in recruiting mode, looking at “the top up-and-coming" appellate attorneys, Law.com reported last week.

Dentons Opens in Charleston, South Carolina With 8 Partners From K&L Gates

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 13:35:34 EST

]]>The global firm says its entry into the coastal South Carolina city was a strategic move, calling the area a hub for legal talent and clients.

Weil Adds International Trade Partner From Kirkland in Boston

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>International trade and national security partner William "Billy" Phalen will be working out of Weil's Boston office, which is also home to the firm's next leader.

Funds Partner Joins Paul Hastings in New York From Ropes & Gray

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Amanda Persaud primarily advises private equity sponsors across the full lifecycle of investments.

Law Firms Are Going Further to Protect Their Equity Tiers

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>"A more concentrated equity structure gives firms more room to compensate star partners or attract major rainmakers, sometimes at the $20-plus million range," said one legal recruiter. "In this fiercely competitive market, flexibility at the top matters enormously.”

Suits, Stars and Screw-Ups: The Problems with Legal AI

Sun, 26 Apr 2026 15:14:59 EST

]]>With Jude Law infusing legal AI with his charm and the Yankee's baseball star Aaron Judge extending its reach, law is not just being practiced—it's being packaged. And the more polished it becomes, the more difficult it may be to notice when algorithmic authority begins.

Appellate Exits at Paul Weiss, Sullivan & Cromwell May Dent Firms' Prestige, but Not Bottom Lines

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 15:50:14 EST

]]>Observers expect both firms to work to fill the vacancies with big names, but Sullivan & Cromwell is likely to be first with an announcement.

With Litigation, Finance in Demand, Jackson Walker Ups Revenue by 14%, PEP by 23%

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 13:35:10 EST

]]>The 14% revenue growth at Jackson Walker is the highest since 2022, and revenue per lawyer broke the $1-million barrier for the first time.

DLA Piper Unifies Leadership and Will Consult Partners on Aligning Separate Pay Models

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:08:01 EST

]]>The firm says it has voted to dissolve its current verein structure as it creates a new global LLP, but will maintain its separate profit pools.

For Legal Marketing and Business Development, Effectiveness May Be More About Structure Than Anything Else

Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Legal marketing and business development teams are getting bigger as law firms do. But unlocking the full value of those departments may prompt some firms to reevaluate how their people spend their time.

Davis Polk Poaches Paul Weiss Litigation Co-Chair, Launches Supreme Court and Appellate Group

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:04:41 EST

]]>Kannon Shanmugam and Masha Hansford are joining Davis Polk to launch a new practice for the firm.

Law Firm Disrupted: PE Eyes Another Sector of the Legal Industry

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:50:49 EST

]]>Two figures from the investment world make the case for why the personal injury world is an ideal destination for outside investment.

5-Partner Tax Controversy and Insurance Recovery Group Joins Barnes & Thornburg in Atlanta, Florida

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:22:01 EST

]]>The group from Bradley Arant follows a 12-lawyer insurance recovery group that joined in multiple offices earlier this month.

Inside Freshfields' Partnership With Anthropic and What It Means for the Legal Industry

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:36:06 EST

]]>The partnership will allow Freshfields to give Anthropic feedback on their future AI offerings, helping to ensure they meet law firm needs.

Kirkland Adds Tennessee Solicitor General as Litigation Partner in Nashville

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:03:09 EST

]]>“Matt is proof of concept for our Nashville launch: he's a top-of-profession-type talent who will fit in seamlessly on our national platform, said Andrew Kassof, a litigation partner and member of Kirkland's executive committee.

Pillsbury Sued Over Alleged Race, Pregnancy Discrimination by Former In-House Recruiter

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:56:01 EST

]]>Sonya Wilson had worked for the firm for nearly a dozen years prior to her departure in January 2026.

Big Law PACs Heavily Favor Republicans in '25-'26 Races

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:34:45 EST

]]>Of the 43 Am Law 200-affiliated PACs analyzed by Law.com, 37 firm PACs disbursed more money to Republican campaigns or affiliated PACs than to Democrats.

How Law Firms Need to Think About a Future That Isn't Waiting For Them

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:05:35 EST

]]>This kind of disruption—a shift—is harder to respond to than a crisis, Jeff Grossman and Naz Vahid write.

Hogan Lovells CEO Miguel Zaldivar on Orchestrating a $4 Billion Big Law Merger

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 00:11:20 EST

]]>Miguel Zaldivar, the CEO of the soon-to-be Hogan Lovells Cadwalader, speaks with Legal Speak co-host Patrick Smith about the genesis of the deal, the process he and the firm went through to secure the partnership vote, and what comes next.

AI's Impact on Law Firm Hiring, Associate Training Strategies Dominate Conversation at Legal Careers Summit

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:01:13 EST

]]>Two recruiters back from the NALP Annual Education Conference in South Florida outlined the scuttlebutt at last week's event.

Freshfields Strikes Anthropic Deal, Deploys Claude Firmwide

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:41:48 EST

]]>The collaboration will also see the two work together to build AI applications and design agentic workflows.

Orrick Hires Meta Lawyer in San Francisco

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Nicole Lopez joins Orrick after working as global director of youth safety policy and global youth litigation strategy at Meta, formerly known as Facebook.

Law Grad Employment Outcomes Slip in 2025

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 18:05:29 EST

]]>More than 2,500 fewer 2025 graduates were employed in full-time, long-term bar admission-required/anticipated or J.D. advantage jobs, including school-funded positions, compared to the previous graduating class.

Looking in Areas That 'Drive Modern Markets,' Winston & Strawn Has Added 6 Partners This Month

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:27:13 EST

]]>After some departures earlier this year, Winston & Strawn has announced partner additions across markets and practices throughout April, as it preps to merge with London-based Taylor Wessing.

Small and Midsize Law Firms Outpaced Big Law in Lateral Hiring in 2025, as Firms Eyed Experience

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 17:02:52 EST

]]>Small and midsize firms hired almost 90% more lateral partners in 2025, a recent NALP report found.

If Sullivan & Cromwell Can File an AI-Contaminated Brief, Is Risk-Proof Use of the Technology Even Possible?

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:58:13 EST

]]>The Wall Street elite firm filed a brief in a New York bankruptcy case with fictitious and inaccurate citations generated by artificial intelligence, illustrating that no one is immune to the reputational and ethical risks tied to the emerging technology.

5th Kirkland Partner Jumps to Simpson Thacher on Heels of Rainmaker Nemecek's Move

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 16:16:18 EST

]]>San Francisco finance partner Katie Taylor is the latest Kirkland & Ellis partner to follow David Nemecek to Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, joining his capital structure solutions group. Meanwhile, Kirkland has been making hires of its own, including Wachtell's former restructuring head.

Law Firms Including Hogan Lovells, Cadwalader Form Global Legal Tech Alliance

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:56:11 EST

]]>The group of global law firms will collaborate on training and AI innovation and hold discussions on emerging technology.

Live from the GCC Midwest 2026 with Chantal Kazay Rivera

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 15:52:37 EST

]]>In this Legal Speak episode, co-host Patrick Smith interviews McDonald's Corporation's senior counsel for commercial litigation Chantal Kazay Rivera.

Rethinking How Law Firms Define and Organize Around Their Best Clients

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 13:09:48 EST

]]>This first part of a two-part series by Maggie Miller focuses on defining clients through two complementary lenses: Target Client Profiles and Client Segmentation.

Gibson Dunn Lifts Four-Partner Appellate Litigation Team Led by Jeffrey Wall From Sullivan & Cromwell

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 11:43:23 EST

]]>Wall previously served as co-head of Sullivan & Cromwell's appellate litigation practice as well as acting U.S. solicitor general. The group collectively has argued more than 45 cases in front of the U.S. Supreme Court.

For Law Students, AI Literacy and Enthusiasm May Impact Big Law Employment Prospects

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:59:59 EST

]]>Experience with AI tools is seen as a positive differentiator during recruiting season, while an aversion to AI is increasingly disqualifying.

Wilson Sonsini Hires Chief Operating Officer From Baker McKenzie

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 09:29:59 EST

]]>Kate Stonestreet is a longtime legal executive and had been with Baker McKenzie for more than 31 years before departing.

Morgan Lewis Taps Ex-Dechert Chief Information Officer as New CIO

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 08:59:59 EST

]]>Michael Rinehart previously held similar roles at both Dechert and Fox Rothschild. He replaces Steve Naphy, who jumped to Wachtell earlier this year.

Kirkland Bolsters Transactional Ranks in Phila. With Morgan Lewis Hire

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>Adam Prince is the second deals partner to join the firm's Philadelphia office. He follows Stephanie Haas, who arrived from Dechert earlier this month.

Ashurst Slims Partner Promotions Ahead of Merger

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 05:20:03 EST

]]>Meanwhile U.K. top 10 firms Clyde & Co and Addleshaw Goddard both announced marginally larger cohorts this year.

Deal Watch: 12 Deals Over $1 Billion. Plus, How Am Law 100 and League Table Leaders Intersect

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:12:30 EST

]]>Kirkland & Ellis and Latham & Watkins, again atop the Am Law 100 rankings, also ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, for deal value in 2025.

Winstead Moves Into Atlanta Market With Taft Real Estate Team

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 16:04:29 EST

]]>Winstead has launched an Atlanta office to help achieve its goal of becoming the top real estate law firm in the South.

Seward & Kissel Sees Slight Dip in Revenue, 10% Boost in PEP, Amid Shifting Partnership

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:05:32 EST

]]>The firm's loss of nine equity partners helped boost its PEP by double digits, while the firm increased its nonequity tier by a similar margin.

Big Law Saw Increased Lobbying Revenue in First Quarter of 2026

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 15:04:04 EST

]]>Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, Ballard Partners, Holland & Knight, Squire Patton Boggs and K&L Gates saw increased lobbying revenue in the first quarter of this year compared to the last quarter of 2025, according to Lobbying Disclosure Act filings on Monday.

Covington's Client Base Shifts as Tech Sector's Legal Needs Mount

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 14:30:01 EST

]]>“Six out of the 10 largest clients of the firm are tech industry companies, and we represent 15 out of the top 20 largest tech companies globally by market (capitalization), including four out of the top five," said James Garland, a member of Covington & Burling's management and executive committees.

American Airlines Paid Up Big to Lure Latham Star Aboard

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 08:44:59 EST

]]>Anthony "Tony" Richmond had been with the law firm for 29 years and had amassed an all-star lineup of clients, from Airbnb to Broadcom.

Wachtell Restructuring Head Josh Feltman Arrives at Kirkland After Years-Long Recruitment

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 06:59:59 EST

]]>While the running narrative is that the former Wachtell restructuring leader was brought in as a backfill after David Nemecek left, Kirkland leaders acknowledged pursuing him for over a decade.

Law Firms Are Poised For Another Wave of Rate Increases—But Here's What Might Hold Them Back

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Partners are "as anxious as I've seen" about having to ask clients to pay significant rate increases again, noted one consultant.

Kirkland Lays Groundwork for Middle East Expansion in Abu Dhabi

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 04:49:04 EST

]]>Kirkland & Ellis's registration with the Abu Dhabi Global Market comes as private equity firms bet on the financial hub, even as geopolitical tensions escalate across the region.

The Mergers Were Voted Through. In Asia, Why Isn't Anyone Breathing Easier?

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 20:44:36 EST

]]>The voting is done, but in Asia, where change is absorbed—not declared—the outcome will hinge on who stays long enough to see it through.

GCs' Preference for Big Firms Undercutting Efforts to Rein in Outside Counsel Costs

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 15:17:48 EST

]]>Average partner rates rose by more than 4% for the fourth straight year, according to LexisNexis. They'd risen by less than 3.5% all of the prior nine years.

Akin Adds Partner From Kirkland & Ellis in Chicago to Head Music Practice

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 11:24:00 EST

]]>Rory Wellever spent about five years at Kirkland.

Taylor Wessing Slashes New Partner Numbers Ahead of Winston & Strawn Merger

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:41:13 EST

]]>The firm is in the process of finalising its merger to create Winston Taylor.

$1B Benchmark: US Firms' Quest for UK Growth Marches On Year-on-Year

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 06:36:45 EST

]]>In the month that U.S. behemoth Latham & Watkins announced $1 billion in London revenues, Law.com charts the continuing rise of U.S. firms in the U.K.

Paul Weiss Lures Litigator From Chicago Boutique

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>“I would not have left for another litigation boutique, said Adam Hoeflich. “But when Scott (Barshay) reached out, it seemed like a good opportunity for a new chapter.

Sidley and Linklaters Among Latest to Expand Leasing in NYC

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Each firm signed for around 50,000 additional square feet in their existing spaces, continuing a trend of law firms expanding in their current New York offices or relocating entirely to get more space.

2 Latham Partners Head to Dunn Isaacson Rhee

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 05:59:59 EST

]]>Danielle Conley and Jude Volek both worked in the Biden administration White House before joining Latham.

Firms Need Capital to Pay for AI Tools. Could PE Investment Be the Solution?

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 04:59:59 EST

]]>Several factors will go into a law firm's willingness to embrace private capital as a solution to cash reserve woes, and experts say there's no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to private equity.

Kirkland-Shaped Black Holes and the Future of the Biggest Law Firms

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 13:25:59 EST

]]>The legal market is enjoying record revenues and rising rates, but the urge to consolidate has never been stronger. The question comes down to whether the mergers are the result of choice or inevitability, writes the Global Lawyer.